Geelong Road lessons have not been learned

The road between Ballarat and Buninyong is probably the biggest planning disaster in regional Victoria.

The road between Ballarat and Buninyong is probably the biggest planning
disaster in regional Victoria.

Schools, supermarkets and a university all
sprawled in between houses. The uni is growing by 1000 students, technology park
is expanding and land in the area is continually rezoned for housing without
reservation. The issue is the road works that are scheduled are not keeping pace
with what is happening in the area.

Currently a third lane is being added
around the Mt Clear roundabout but this will only move the problem 100 metres
down the road. The road needed to be two lanes in both directions 10 years ago.
This is still achievable but with every year, it becomes increasingly difficult
and costly.

The worst thing is the council seems to have not learnt its
lesson. Recently Tait Street was reconstructed between Hertford and Hill streets
and was the chance to begin duplication of a street that will become very busy
in years to come. Instead a convoluted single-lane mess was constructed with
seemingly more kerbing constructed than road. Hundreds of houses have been built
in the area in the last few years and the upcoming 66-lot Bonshaw Views Estate
is the start of the Ballarat West Growth zone.

Currently a roundabout is up
for tender in Tait Street, Sebastopol. This is the chance for the council to
begin duplicating the road or at least leave scope for duplication down the
track. Road duplication, or lack thereof, is a major problem in Ballarat and a
lack of planning now could see Tait Street, Water Street or Cuthberts Road
become the next road to the uni.